Taxing a 1973 "historic vehicle"

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

Went online last night to tax my newly "historic" 1973 R107 . Wanted to charge me £225.00. Tried to tax by phone , went through all the options on the keypad , again wanted payment of £225.oo. Phoned DVLA helpline.
"You need to go to the Post Office, mark Historic Vehicle in paragrah 7. They will give you a tax disc and send your log book off." Why. you know that its a 1973 vehicle, and is now tax exempt? "No , you have to have a new document".
Go to the Post Office today , ask for tax for "historic " vehicle. "No we cannot do that, you need to go to the DVLA." No , the DVLA told me to come here. " We are not able to change the category of vehicle , except for disabled". Okay , so if I came here yesterday to tax a 1972 car , it would be free , correct? " Yes sir that is correct , but we cannot change the classification". No , I have written the change of classification in section 7 , you just need to send it to the DVLA, and issue me a tax disc please.
Calls the manager."no we cannot do that here" . Yes you can . Exasperated look , and just to keep this nutter quiet , tap a few keys on the computer. " Oh , actually you are correct sir. we can issue you a free tax disc, but we need to send your old document off" Oh REALLY?? "Yes , would you like your FREE tax disc for 6 or 12 months".

 

[Giantvanman]

"Yes , would you like your FREE tax disc for 6 or 12 months".

Brilliant but not funny at the time I am sure.

 

[John]

Always amusing telling people how to do their job although utterly infuriating at the time as said.

It's the complete lack of effort and initiative that really shapes modern customer 'service'.

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

Funniest part was watching the assistant keep checking how to spell vehicle.
Must confess I was a little sarcastic when I said " I think as it is free I will opt for 12 months rather than 6.

 

[Sp!ke]

I would have been tempted to ask whether the 6 or 12 month disk would be better value.

 

[MD5]

I suppose to be fair, it's new legislation, so a few teething problems can be expected between two official bodies who don't always read from the same book.

A couple of years ago, I renewed the tax for one car whilst taking another off sorn at the same time, about three days before the end of the month, at the Post Office. I realised when I got home that the sorned car was taxed for the current month (the last three days!) and not the start of the next month, so I took the disc back in the morning to be told it couldn't be rectified the day after, and I'd have to go to local DVLA, who in turn said it was a matter for the Post Office, and didn't want to know. Bizarrely, they also explained that if I was successful in getting the "extra" month back, DVLA records would remain the same regardless, therefore my car would show as being untaxed on ANPR systems for the last month of my re-issued tax disc, thus invalidating my insurance!

Back at the Post Office, I explained the situation, and that they were quick enough to see if they could quote for insurance and anything else you like, so perhaps they could have pointed out that I was paying a month's tax for three days? With hindsight I knew this, but assumed he would have had the sense to date the disc from the following month, whilst I was taxing both cars. I got a cash refund for one month in the end, but a month's less usage than I wanted.

 

[kth286]

Funniest part was watching the assistant keep checking how to spell vehicle.
Must confess I was a little sarcastic when I said " I think as it is free I will opt for 12 months rather than 6.

I would have asked for an open ended tax. The car is never going to get younger is it, and it would avoid having to go through the process again next year.

I thought the GOV were looking to cut red tape ! Above is one way.

 

[kingdave]

I would have asked for an open ended tax. The car is never going to get younger is it, and it would avoid having to go through the process again next year.

I thought the GOV were looking to cut red tape ! Above is one way.

I gather taxdiscs are no more from October this yer - so next year you'll probably have another weird process to go through and you won't even have a disc to show for it in the end!

 

[def90cars]

I would have asked for an open ended tax. The car is never going to get younger is it, and it would avoid having to go through the process again next year.

I thought the GOV were looking to cut red tape ! Above is one way.

Remember taxing it is also a check for insurance and MOT.... we do want to check that too

 

[Sp!ke]

Tax no longer checks insurance apparently.

 

[David Bird]

A mate of mine went to tax an ancient vehicle - Austin 8 expecting free tax disck . Post office insisted he had to pay something over £100 and wouldnt listen to protest so he duly paid and was going to get in touch to sort the problem but shortly after they contacted him asking why he had indeed paid for a tax disc when the car was obviously tax exempt suspecting some dodgy dealing . Anyway the outcome was that he was refunded

 

[kth286]

and I guess nil requirement to have MOT on the Austin 8.

but how you would prove roadworthiness for insurance purposes without MOT I do not know.

although of course the car is only proven to be roadworthy on the day of the MOT. the rest of the year it may not be roadworthy at all - same as all our more modern cars.